Tony's Girls
by Caroline Greene
Summary: The Almeida family grows in this T/M one shot. Doesn't have any real spoilers or happen at any particular point on the 24 plot line. I don't own 24 or the characters in it. PLEASE R&R. This is my first post and I'd love feed back.


"Tony?!" Michelle's voice called out with urgency that bordered on panic. Her desperate yelp of his name sent Tony into a scrambling run. Over these last nine months Tony had been a nervous wreck. Michelle gave him every assurance that she and the baby were fine, great even, but Tony was a vigilant protector, it was in his blood. He insisted that Michelle not lift anything with any substantial weight to it, even laundry baskets and canned foods were off limits to his beloved wife in her vulnerable state. Tony had come home one day to see Michelle trying to rearrange the furniture by herself in the living room and nearly had a coronary on the spot.

When he blundered into the kitchen he found Michelle clutching her swollen belly. "Tony," She said breathing heavily "it's time."

The next few minutes seemed to drag on for days. They shared a single car, which luck would have it, was getting repaired. Tony didn't know the details,  
he never had much of a mind for mechanics. He was franticly packing Michelle's over night bag while thinking desperately of what to do. A taxi would take to long...and the idea of walking the nine miles was obserd. Michelle's sister and their closest contact, Melony was on vacation. "Dammit!" Tony said, outside earshot of the kitchen. Michelle was horrified by the idea of their child hearing swearwords en-utero.

The word sparked an idea that hit him like a ton of bricks. Of course! Jack! Call Jack Bauer. Tony and Marko, a fellow CTU agent working in tactical,  
had jokingly made a song about calling Jack Bauer. It was to the tune of Ghost Busters "Who you gonna call then there's terrorists on the loose? (que jazz hands) JACK BAUER!" Tony grasped the phone and scrolled through the contacts. He'd only called Jack at home three, maybe four times.  
He picked up part way through the first ring "Bauer"  
"Jack, it's Tony. I--we need your help. Michelle's having the baby. We don't have a car and--" Jack cut him off "I'll be there in two." he said quickly and hung up. Tony wasn't startled by Jack's shortness on the phone at all, he was always a right to the point guy, always cutting to the chase. Despite Jack's stony exterior, they'd become extremely close over the years. Tony would give his life for Jack and likewise. Jack Bauer was an honorary Almeida.  
Michelle joking called Jack her brother-in-law.

With the packed bag in toe, Tony met Michelle back in the kitchen. She was doing her breathes the obstitrision had instructed her to. Hee Hee Whoo.  
Hee Hee Whoo. "Jack's on the way, Chelle. Just breathe." She nodded and he saw her face was dripping with sweat. Tony was surprised his voice was so calm, inside he was a mess of worries. He heard the screeching of tires outside and an angry man yelling "Watch were you're going, jackass"  
A smirk crossed Tony's face. "Jack's here."

He let his groaning outside and into Jack's Yukon XL. Jack looked back at her, his eyes wide behind his sunglasses. He didn't do well around panicing women. As soon as Tony and Michelle's buckles clicked Jack hit the gas. They made the twelve minute drive in four.

Upon checking in at the hospital they were told it'd be a 45 minute wait. Michelle's heart sank. Jack and Tony took one look at her crumpled face and faced the bored looking man behind the counter. Michelle new in an instant her boys would take care of her. "Forty five minutes"  
Tony demanded, pounding a fist onto the counter. "My wife is having our baby now, doctor!" The man looked back at him blankly, apparently unaffected by Tony's frustration and anger. Jack wiped off his sunglasses and pushed past Tony and got right into the doctor's face "Now you listen to me, doc. You give this woman a room now. She's a high ranking CTU agent and I don't have to remind you of what happened the last time a CTU agent was give lack luster service around here, do I?" The doctor immediately flashed on the memory of a CTU agent being admitted five or six months ago. He'd been shot in the wrist and waited in the ER for half an hour. The next day an angry Bill Buchanan yelled at the entire staff about prioritizing, time management, tax dollars, and government agents.

Jack's warning must have worked, Michelle was admitted in three minutes. After a brief once over by a rosy looking nurse Michelle was rushed to the delivery room, ready to give birth. Jack and Tony sat awkwardly in the plastic seats outside the room. Tony stole glances at his watch every few seconds. Jack chuckled. "Relax, Tony. Michelle's fine." Tony squirmed. "I dunno, Jack. She looked pretty...worked up. I mean, she's really in pain." He swallowed as he looked back at the door. Jack smiled and Tony could have sworn he saw a glint of tears in his eyes "When Terry was having Kim she was amazing. She was in labor for 16 hours. Must have hurt like hell." Tony nodded, looking intently at his own knees.  
"And Tony"  
"Yeah, Jack"  
"You're gonna make a great dad, you know"  
Tony looked back up at Jack who was giving him a watery smile. "That means a lot. You'll make a great uncle, you know." Jack clapped a hand on Tony's shoulder and smiled wider.

An hour later a doctor emerged from the delivery room. "Congratulations, Mr. Almeida. It's a girl."

2424242424242424

When Tony saw his wife holding their daughter his usually strong legs felt weak. Michelle was glowing, wearing a tired smile. In her arms was a little pink bundle. He stood a moment, letting the image sink into his memory. The room, the bed, the window; everything.

"Aren't you going to come in and say hello to your daughter?" Michelle said jokingly, rocking the baby. Tony nodded, walking closer and craning his neck to see. His breath caught in his throat when he saw the little, round face. Her eyes were shut tight. The tuft of hair on the top of her head was dark brown. "She's--" Tony was cut off by a welling of tears. "so small." Michelle laughed a little "Eight pounds, 3 ounces of small."

Tony had been secretly hoping for a boy, one to play baseball and go on bike riding trips with. Maybe even he could teach him to fire a gun with Uncle Jack someday. If he dutifully picked up his father's passion, one day he might even bestow his most prized possession upon him;  
his Cubs mug. But all those images of bike rides and baseball games faded away when he saw his daughter.

"Carla Anne Almeida," Michelle said, in a singsongy voice "meet your daddy." Tony silently vowed right then and there to protect his two girls.  
Anyone who tried to harm his Michelle or his little Carla had another thing coming to 'em. And as for any boys who thought they'd be able to get their hands on his Carla...Well, they could go through Uncle Jack first.

THE END.


End file.
